The last rebel fighters in south west Syria, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, were evacuating as Socialist Worker went to press. Many of them have been allowed to leave and go to another rebel-controlled area in the north west.

Thousands of Syrian refugees are now trapped at the borders between Syria, Jordan and the Golan Heights.

Israel and Jordan—both strong allies of the US and Britain—have refused to take in refugees fleeing the fighting in southern Syria.

Yet in a highly-publicised operation, the Israeli military did help to evacuate members of the White Helmets, an organisation that responds to regime airstrikes.

Volunteers of the organisation, known officially as the Syrian Civil Defence, were taken to Jordan.

The Israeli military described the evacuation as an “exceptional humanitarian gesture”.